Proceeds from celebrity calendar will benefit the Hear the World Foundation
Stäfa, Switzerland (November 20th, 2007) - With the holiday season in full swing, Hear the World is offering a gift suggestion that truly gives back.
For holiday 2008, Hear the World, a non-profit initiative launched by hearing device manufacturer Phonak to educate the public about the importance of good hearing, is issuing a limited-edition, beautifully designed calendar featuring its celebrity ambassadors in photos taken by Bryan Adams, the official photographer of the initiative. Plácido Domingo, Joss Stone, Moby, Harry Belafonte and Amy Winehouse are featured, among others.
The 2008 calendar is available for purchase at www.hear-the-world.com for $27.90, with all proceeds donated directly to the Hear the World Foundation.
"I'm interested in the goals that Hear the World is trying to achieve," Adams said. "As a musician, I'm naturally sympathetic to a cause dedicated to help people appreciate and preserve an individual's sense of sound."
While hearing loss is one of the world's most preventable disabilities, it is also one of the most common. 500 million people worldwide, more than 10 percent of the world's population, have a hearing loss; the number is expected to increase to 700 million by the year 2015. In the U.S., more than 31.5 million people experience some degree of hearing loss. There are especially more and more younger people affected by hearing loss. Studies have shown that a hearing loss can have a significant negative effect on a person's social, emotional and physical wellbeing.
"Good hearing is extremely important," said Belafonte. "It has a lot of impact on personality. I noticed [when my hearing got worse] that my voice changed, and I had to speak more loudly. People thought that I was speaking more aggressively, and I didn't mean to be aggressive at all. I just think people should be very, very conscious and protective of their hearing."
About Hear the World
Hear the World is a global initiative by Phonak created to raise awareness about the importance of hearing. The initiative calls attention to the social and emotional impact of hearing loss and addresses prevention of and solutions to a problem that affects more than 10% of the world's population.
Ambassadors for Hear the World include tenor and conductor Plácido Domingo, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra as well as Joss Stone, Bobby McFerrin. Through the Hear the World Foundation, Phonak supports charitable organizations and projects focused on helping people with a hearing loss.
About Phonak
Headquartered near Zurich, Switzerland, Phonak specializes in the design, development, production and worldwide distribution of state-of-the-art hearing systems and wireless devices. The combination of expertise in hearing technology, mastery in acoustics and strong cooperation with hearing care professionals allows Phonak to significantly improve people's hearing ability and speech understanding and therefore their quality of life.
Phonak offers a complete range of digital hearing instruments, along with complementary wireless communication systems. With 2'500 employees worldwide Phonak drives innovation and sets new industry benchmarks regarding miniaturization and performance.
For more information, please visit www.hear-the-world.com or you may also visit the Phonak Web Channel on Audiology Online.
Taken from: www.hear-the-world.com
